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We had a slight hitch in our December plans. The school calendar for 2018-2019 came out last week and we had anticipated that she would get out for break on Dec 15th. She will be exempt the 13th and 14th from exams, so we had planned on leaving Wed night. Well, they don't get out for break until the 22nd. I am not going over Christmas.
So now we are looking at fall break, which is Oct 18th-22nd and going the 17th-24th. She really wants to go when Christmas deco is out, so today I looked at the calendar again and they are out for the whole week of Thanksgiving. (they usually are only out Wed, Thur, Fri) So I though maybe going Nov 15th-21 (21st only being travel day, no parks) She would only miss two days of school, so she would still be exempt for her final exams.
I know crowd calendars are not reliable, so that is why I am posting this. Anyone who has been the week of Thanksgiving, is Sun Mon Tues doable or does it get too crowded. Historic crowd calendars have Sun as a 9 and Mon, Tues as 10s, but on the predicted crowd calendar they have them as 7's with Wed becoming a 9.
I really want this trip to be what she wants since it is her graduation present (early). I think Oct would be more enjoyable crowd wise, but hoping maybe our Nov dates would be doable.
Would like opinions and past experience please! I don't know what to do.
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I'd do November since she wants the Christmas vibe. I personally wouldn't worry about crowd calendars (I've never followed them) and go with what she wants...for her trip.
We have been doing October for several years now and it is actually quite crowded almost of the whole month. We've tried all four weeks and it's the same regardless. We have been twice now in November. The first time was Thursday - Tuesday before Thanksgiving. No parks on that Tuesday so I can't speak for crowds, but we found the crowds to be lower than October on our other days. Not all of the holiday stuff was in full swing, e.g. Candlelight Processional. But almost all of it was.
We’ve been the week before T-day twice and find that it varies somewhat how much holiday will be going then. The parks will be all decorated, the resorts maybe yes, maybe no.
One year the GF Gingerbread House’s sales counter at its back opened the Friday of Nov’s second week. The next year it didn’t open until the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Also, you may find that not all the Deluxes are decorated yet. (Don’t know about Vals or Mods) I was indeed the year we left on the Monday of T-day week; the GF decorations weren’t up before we left, and those are my favorite. We barely got to see WL’s which finally went up the night before we left. Some resort decorations don’t go up until Thanksgiving weekend. It really is a catch if you can on those.
As for events, holiday activities in WS such as its Storytellers may be going...or may not. We didn’t get to see them until we went Christmas week.
That’s Disney for ya...can’t say for certain.
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We have been several times over Thanksgiving due to our girl's school schedule. It's been two years since our last Thanksgiving trip. Although it was busy (it does get busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving), it is very doable. We have always gotten in the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving and have always left the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving.
We have always seen the Storytellers in the WS and decorations, I thought before Thanksgiving, but I can't be for sure. The Storytellers were only on certain days so if you are not in Epcot on those days, you would miss them. It does get progressively busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving, but I think it is very manageable. The good thing is that Disney extends the hours during that week (at least they always have when we have been there over Thanksgiving).
I will state this, we have been in February, April, the second week of November and 4 times at Thanksgiving and we have always enjoyed our trips over Thanksgiving...always...so much that we have had repeated visits during that time. I think whatever you decide will be great! Good luck. Definitely make sure you book your meals 180 days out and your fast passes as soon as you can.
We have been several times over Thanksgiving due to our girl's school schedule. It's been two years since our last Thanksgiving trip. Although it was busy (it does get busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving), it is very doable. We have always gotten in the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving and have always left the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving.
We have always seen the Storytellers in the WS and decorations, I thought before Thanksgiving, but I can't be for sure. The Storytellers were only on certain days so if you are not in Epcot on those days, you would miss them. It does get progressively busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving, but I think it is very manageable. The good thing is that Disney extends the hours during that week (at least they always have when we have been there over Thanksgiving).
I will state this, we have been in February, April, the second week of November and 4 times at Thanksgiving and we have always enjoyed our trips over Thanksgiving...always...so much that we have had repeated visits during that time. I think whatever you decide will be great! Good luck. Definitely make sure you book your meals 180 days out and your fast passes as soon as you can.
Actually the storytellers and CP at Epcot don’t start until Black Friday but they do have these every day. The CP has 3 shows a night but the only way to guarantee a seat is by getting the dining package which is usually released the beginning of July. We have been twice during Thanksgiving Week haven’t found it that bad. We are going again this year.
Actually the storytellers and CP at Epcot don’t start until Black Friday but they do have these every day. The CP has 3 shows a night but the only way to guarantee a seat is by getting the dining package which is usually released the beginning of July. We have been twice during Thanksgiving Week haven’t found it that bad. We are going again this year.
I may be thinking of something else besides the Storytellers. Thanks for the clarification. And that is definitely true about the CP, if you want to guarantee that you have a seat to see it. So if that is a MUST for you, get the package. However if for some reason you don’t get the dining package, you just may get lucky and stilll get in. I did not get the dining package two years ago because some of my family members were not sure if they wanted to see it, and I didn’t want to spend the money on the package not knowing if it would be worth it for us. We decided to take a chance and see if they would have extra seats after letting those in with the package. We got there about a 1/2 early and ate a snack while waiting. Luck just happened to be with us. All four of us got a seat, as did several other families. I just wanted to add this that if for some reason you don’t have the package, it never hurts to see if they are letting those without packages in, just don’t be disappointed if not because you really are taking a chance without the dining package. For us, it was not a must. Although, after attending it would be for me and my oldest daughter. My husband and youngest daughter both fell asleep. I am not sure how they could have though as the music is beautiful. I guess it was just a long day for them.
Last edited by saibot0001; 02-11-2018 at 06:07 AM..
We have been several times over Thanksgiving due to our girl's school schedule. It's been two years since our last Thanksgiving trip. Although it was busy (it does get busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving), it is very doable. We have always gotten in the Thursday prior to Thanksgiving and have always left the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving.
We have always seen the Storytellers in the WS and decorations, I thought before Thanksgiving, but I can't be for sure. The Storytellers were only on certain days so if you are not in Epcot on those days, you would miss them. It does get progressively busier the closer you get to Thanksgiving, but I think it is very manageable. The good thing is that Disney extends the hours during that week (at least they always have when we have been there over Thanksgiving).
I will state this, we have been in February, April, the second week of November and 4 times at Thanksgiving and we have always enjoyed our trips over Thanksgiving...always...so much that we have had repeated visits during that time. I think whatever you decide will be great! Good luck. Definitely make sure you book your meals 180 days out and your fast passes as soon as you can.
This is exactly what I am hoping for. We will arrive late Wed Nov 14th, so we can hit the ground running on Thurs and leave Wed Nov 21 mid morning, early afternoon, no parks. Hoping Sun-Tues won't be too bad. I think since it will just be the 2 of us, it will be easier to maneuver around the parks as it gets busier. I would love to see the Storytellers, but it is not a deal breaker. I did some research and the Festival of the Holidays that started last year began on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so if they continue it, we should see the Storytellers. My research also showed that CP does not start until the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so we won't be able to see it.
Thanks for your input!
Actually the storytellers and CP at Epcot don’t start until Black Friday but they do have these every day. The CP has 3 shows a night but the only way to guarantee a seat is by getting the dining package which is usually released the beginning of July. We have been twice during Thanksgiving Week haven’t found it that bad. We are going again this year.
This one is the one that makes me sad that we will miss. We have been twice in December and I really didn't know much about it and didn't try to get in to see it. It will have to go on my WDW bucket list for now.
Maybe we will run into each other!
This one is the one that makes me sad that we will miss. We have been twice in December and I really didn't know much about it and didn't try to get in to see it. It will have to go on my WDW bucket list for now.
Maybe we will run into each other!
I LOVE that resort. It is my favorite. If a good discount comes out for our dates, then we may switch there. We loved it when we stayed in Oct 2014. So beautiful and peaceful, great food court, CM's were great! We did Alligator Bayou, my daughter wants to stay in one of the mansions if we switch. I hope you love it too!
I LOVE that resort. It is my favorite. If a good discount comes out for our dates, then we may switch there. We loved it when we stayed in Oct 2014. So beautiful and peaceful, great food court, CM's were great! We did Alligator Bayou, my daughter wants to stay in one of the mansions if we switch. I hope you love it too!
We loved FQ when we stayed there 6 years ago and walked over to POR to walk around a little and have breakfast. We try to visit every few years around holiday time and alternate between deluxe and mod so knew one time we would try POR. We ended up staying at deluxe resorts the last few trips so this time decided to do mod again. We don’t have kids but selected to be in a royal room with a river view..
I was there this past Thanksgiving week. Got there the Fri before and left Thanksgiving morning. I thought it more crowded then when I was there over the previous Christmas week. Anything is doable if you want it bad enough. If Christmas decorations are at the top of the list then make it doable. Have fun!
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indeed the year we left on the Monday of T-day week; the GF decorations weren’t up before we left, and those are my favorite. We barely got to see WL’s which finally went up the night before we left. Some resort decorations don’t go up until Thanksgiving weekend. It really is a catch if you can on those. 
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